HALIFAX: The provincial government has extended the state of emergency to next month.
The provincial cabinet met on April 16 by teleconference and agreed to ask the Lieutenant Governor to extend the order for another two weeks to May 3.
Under the state of emergency, there are fines of $1,000 for individuals and $7,500 for businesses that do not practise social distancing and self-isolation. Multiple fines can be given each day to those who fail to comply. Under the Emergency Management Act, police can also enforce offences like charging higher than fair market prices for goods and services.
Under the authority of the Health Protection Act, the province is requiring anyone who has travelled outside Nova Scotia to self-isolate for 14 days from the day they get back to the province, even if they do not have symptoms.
To date, the RCMP in Nova Scotia has charged a total of 134 people with offences related to the current provincial State of Emergency in Nova Scotia.
Also last week, the province announced assistance for vulnerable families, seniors and youth for food, shelter, basic necessities and staying connected.
Nova Scotia Power, EfficiencyOne and the province are redirecting $3 million from the HomeWarming program to fund organizations that deliver prepared meals, operate soup kitchens, help the homeless, and provide other services.
“We know these are uncertain times for so many Nova Scotians and repurposing HomeWarming funds in this way will allow us to continue to help those who are most in need,” said Stephen MacDonald, CEO, EfficiencyOne.
Nova Scotia Power has contributed $1 million, while EfficiencyOne is providing $2 million of provincial funding for the program.
“We know there are gaps and challenges including increased demand at a time when we are seeing a shortage of staff and volunteers,” said Energy and Mines Minister Derek Mombourquette.
HomeWarming normally provides free home energy assessments and upgrades for low-income Nova Scotians. COVID-19 restrictions mean this work won’t be happening for the time being.
“Now is not the time to unnecessarily have workers coming into your home, it is a time to stay home and social distance,” said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health. “The fact that this funding can be repurposed to help those in need tells us that a lot of people understand they need to follow public health direction to slow the spread of the virus and saves lives.”
Prepared meal delivery services, such as Meals on Wheels and the VON’s Frozen Favorites, will receive $1.36 million to help hire staff, buy food and make meal deliveries.
The United Way will receive $1 million for its Atlantic Compassion Fund to help vulnerable families and youth in Nova Scotia. Shelters, soup kitchens and other service organizations will receive $400,000.
“United Ways are nimble, knowledgeable about local needs and ready to ensure this investment will have meaningful and timely impact on the lives of those who need support most,” said Sara Napier, president and CEO, United Way Halifax. “Through our Atlantic Compassion Fund, we have already provided funding to 80 frontline programs across Nova Scotia that are helping people in need of safe shelter, food, connection or mental health care to make it through this crisis. The funding announced today will enable us to do more to meet our communities’ needs and help the most vulnerable Nova Scotians make it through this.”
Seniors’ Safety Programs and Community Links will receive $180,000 and $60,000 respectively to help meet the needs of vulnerable older Nova Scotians.
Despite new measures from the province for workers in long-term care and other facilities in the province, a coalition of unions representing more than 40,000 health care workers launched a new campaign asking Nova Scotians to call on government to sign a protocol mandating proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the province’s frontline healthcare workers.
According to the unions, provincial governments and employers in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Alberta have signed similar protocol agreements. The five unions involved in the campaign – the Nova Scotia Nurses Union (NSNU), the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Independent Order of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 727 called on Premier Stephen McNeil to sign onto a similar protocol.
The unions maintain frontline workers are most at risk of contracting the virus, because they work closely with infected clients, residents and patients. This means that not only are they at-risk without access to proper PPE, but they also risk spreading the virus to their loved ones at home and within the greater community. And if these workers get sick, there will be fewer skilled workers available to care for the sick and vulnerable in the pre-hospital setting, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and even to deliver home care services.
These frontline workers have been calling for proper PPE – including N95 masks.
The unions said it’s time to follow the lead of other provinces by agreeing to ensure adequate health and safety controls for frontline workers, and allowing health care professionals to use a risk assessment to determine the controls necessary in the line of duty.